


To Lose It All

by Tarlan



Series: Sentience [7]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-01
Updated: 2012-11-01
Packaged: 2017-11-17 12:55:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the team come across a runner, John decides to help set him free from the Wraith.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Lose It All

**Author's Note:**

> Written for **jx_walker** as a Trick or Treat gift!

The man looked more like a feral animal than a human, with matted dreadlocks and a grimy face. Scars were visible on exposed skin and John could only imagine the different weapons that could have caused such damage.

"Hey there, big guy. Take it easy. No one here is going to hurt you."

John could see the intelligence in the man's dark eyes, see him cataloging everyone, looking for weaknesses that he could exploit at a second's notice. No doubt he had already figured out how to get away from them and John wouldn't stop him if he tried. He just hoped the man would give them a chance to prove they were not enemies.

"He must leave this world immediately, before he brings the Wraith."

"Please explain why," Elizabeth asked, and her quiet authority seemed to calm those around them.

"He is a runner. Taken by the Wraith and hunted by them. Wherever a runner appears, the Wraith follow."

Rodney was monitoring his Ancient handheld device and he looked across, catching John's eye. "They may have a point. He has a tracking device inside him."

"Then it is too late for us!"

John could feel the rising panic in the villagers surrounding them and knew it could turn ugly. He could tell by their numbers that they had been culled recently, and the Wraith had not left enough people to recover their population. They were a dying race now like so many others. John thought of the Athosians, and had an idea.

"Okay. Here's what we do."

Within the hour, most of the villagers had left the planet, ferried away on Puddlejumpers through the Stargate to Atlantis, and from there to the mainland where the Athosians welcomed them with open arms. John was not surprised to see former members of the _Tria_ 's crew piloting, aware that they needed every available pilot if they were to save these people.

While the mass exodus took place, John watched as Carson approached the runner with his medical kit. His soft Scottish burr seemed to calm the man, though the runner refused an anesthetic for the pain. John couldn't help but grimace as he watched the razor sharp scalpel cut into flesh but the runner barely made a sound. It took fifteen minutes of surgical precision before the Wraith tracking device was laid in kidney bowl, still intact. Carson immediately began the task of repairing the incision site.

The last Puddlejumper stood waiting close to the Stargate. Throughout the operation, Elizabeth had talked quietly with the runner, attempting to persuade him to come back with them once he was no longer a threat to others. Elizabeth automatically reached for the man when he finally succumbed to the pain, falling unconscious. In the end, the decision was taken away from them when Rodney looked up in concern.

"A hive ship just entered orbit around the planet. Incoming darts."

"In the jumper now!" John ordered in a tone that brooked no objections. Not willing to take the risk, John smashed the tracking device beneath his boot and raced to the cockpit as Carson and Rodney helped the unconscious ex-runner into the back. He cloaked the jumper before lifting off smoothly, gliding through the still open Stargate and ordering an immediate shutdown of the gate.

The runner was taken off to the infirmary under guard, even though John knew Atlantia would be watching him just as closely. At least Daniel had managed to convince her to allow them to help pure humans in medical emergencies. His greatest fear was that the Wraith would be able to work out the last address dialed from the planet, leading them to Atlantis.

"Is it possible," he asked Rodney, and hated the sick realization crossing his lover's face.

'Rest peacefully, John Sheppard.'

"Atlantia?"

'All addresses from the Astria Porta on Serenia were deleted.'

"You can do that?" Rodney asked, clearly shocked.

'Protocols dictate the erasure of all addresses to ensure the continued security of Atlantis and her people from the Wraith.'

It made sense, and John felt a flood of relief that Atlantia had likely instigated that protocol from the very first time she allowed them off-world.

"Sheppard! I hear you brought home a stray."

John smiled at Jack. "He looked like he could do with a hot meal and a place to sleep."

"You did good, John. Guess I ought to go meet our new guest."

****

Later that evening, John watched from the other side of the table as the runner - Ronon - wolfed down the food he had piled onto his tray. Jack was seated with him, eyebrows raised. John was tempted to show Ronon how to use a knife and fork rather than his fingers but decided to cut the guy some slack having heard part of his story. Eight years was a long time to survive on instinct alone, never able to stop in one place too long, and desperate to avoid all human contact for fear of bringing the Wraith down upon them.

As for Ronon's home world, John had already seen the devastation once with his own eyes. Sateda had paid a high price for defying the Wraith.

When he returned to the quarters he shared with Rodney, later in the evening, he picked their sleeping baby son out of his cot and held him close, running his finger over the velvet soft cheek and hair. Josh whimpered softly, smacking his lips together as if trying to decide if he should awaken for more milk.

"John?" Rodney whispered, and John placed the baby back into his cot and tucked the cover over him. "You okay?"

John waited until he had closed the nursery door behind him before answering just as softly.

"Not really. I just can't imagine what it would be like to lose all of this. To lose you, and Josh... and Jack, Daniel, Elizabeth... Atlantis. Everything I knew and everyone I loved."

Rodney wrapped his arms around John and held on tight, letting his soothing touches become more intimate until they were lying together, sated and warm, and still wrapped in each other's arms as they drifted into sleep. Safe for now.

END


End file.
